Medicare Advantage

Living with a chronic condition in Scottsdale? Here is how a Medicare C-SNP works for 2027

For 2027, Scottsdale is looking at 92 Medicare Advantage plans: 17 new, 13 gone since 2026, and 33 still here but changed on premium, deductible, plan type or name, 13 of them under a new name. Below, how the lineup shifted in Maricopa County and what to compare, with no plan ranked or recommended.

Scottsdale, Ariz. — For people managing a long-term illness like diabetes, heart failure or kidney disease, the 2027 Medicare Advantage menu in the Scottsdale area includes a specific kind of plan built around that diagnosis: a Chronic Condition Special Needs Plan, or C-SNP. The Annual Enrollment Period runs Oct. 15 through Dec. 7, 2026, for coverage that starts Jan. 1, 2027 — and if you qualify for a C-SNP, you may also be able to switch outside that window.

What is a C-SNP, and how does it work in Scottsdale for 2027?

A C-SNP is a type of Medicare Advantage plan designed for people living with one or more specific chronic conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, chronic lung disorders or end-stage renal disease. Like other Medicare Advantage plans, a C-SNP replaces Original Medicare as the way your Part A and Part B benefits are delivered, and most C-SNPs also include Part D drug coverage.

What makes a C-SNP different is focus. The plan's provider network, drug list and care-management supports are shaped around the condition it serves. Scottsdale residents enroll through the same Medicare system as the rest of Maricopa County, since Medicare Advantage availability is set at the county level.

How many C-SNPs are offered in Maricopa County for 2027?

For 2027, Maricopa County has 25 C-SNPs among its 92 Medicare Advantage plans, along with 10 Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs) and 5 Institutional Special Needs Plans (I-SNPs). The C-SNPs come from 11 carriers, listed here in alphabetical order: Aetna (CVS Health), Alignment Health Plan, Centene (WellCare), Devoted Health, Elevance Health (Anthem), Gold Kidney Health Plan, HealthSpring, Humana, SCAN Health Plan, UnitedHealthcare and Verda Health Plan of Arizona.

The number of C-SNPs offered by each carrier varies — Devoted Health has six, Gold Kidney Health Plan has four, Alignment Health Plan and SCAN Health Plan each have three, Elevance Health (Anthem) and Humana each have two, and Aetna (CVS Health), Centene (WellCare), HealthSpring, UnitedHealthcare and Verda Health Plan of Arizona each have one. The table below lists every C-SNP available in Maricopa County for 2027.

Who qualifies for a C-SNP in Scottsdale?

Enrollment in a C-SNP requires a qualifying chronic condition that a provider confirms. In practice, after you apply, the plan sends a short form to your doctor (or another treating clinician) asking them to verify your diagnosis. If the provider does not return the confirmation within the plan's time limit, enrollment can be delayed or cancelled.

The condition the plan serves is defined by the plan itself. You can tell from a plan's own name when it is built around a specific diagnosis — for example, several C-SNPs on the Maricopa County list reference diabetes and heart conditions, lung care, or dialysis and kidney care — but you should confirm the exact qualifying conditions with the plan before applying.

Can I join a C-SNP outside the Oct. 15 – Dec. 7, 2026 Annual Enrollment Period?

Yes. People with a qualifying chronic condition generally have a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) to join a C-SNP, which means you do not have to wait for Annual Enrollment to sign up. Once you are enrolled in a C-SNP, that specific SEP typically closes, and future changes follow the regular Medicare enrollment rules.

For 2027 coverage, the Annual Enrollment Period still matters because it is the main window to compare and switch plans. It runs Oct. 15 through Dec. 7, 2026, and any change you make takes effect Jan. 1, 2027. From Jan. 1 through March 31, 2027, the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period lets anyone already in a Medicare Advantage plan make one change.

What is changing for C-SNPs in Maricopa County for 2027?

Several C-SNPs are new to the Maricopa County market for 2027, including the Aetna Medicare Chronic Care (HMO C-SNP) from Aetna (CVS Health); DEVOTED C-SNP ENHANCED 092 AZ (HMO C-SNP), DEVOTED C-SNP GIVEBACK EXTRAS 104 AZ (HMO C-SNP) and DEVOTED C-SNP PLUS 093 AZ (HMO C-SNP) from Devoted Health; Gold Dialysis Premier (HMO-POS C-SNP) from Gold Kidney Health Plan; and SCAN DaVita Dialysis Care Complete (HMO-POS C-SNP) and SCAN Walmart Medicare Complete (HMO C-SNP) from SCAN Health Plan.

A handful of existing C-SNPs have been renamed for 2027, including three Alignment Health Plan heart and diabetes plans and DEVOTED C-SNP ENHANCED 014 AZ. If you are already in one of these, your Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) explains what, if anything, is different about the plan for next year.

What else should I know about costs for 2027?

Program-level drug cost figures for 2027 are set. The Part D out-of-pocket cap rises to $2,400 in 2027 (up from $2,100 in 2026), and the Part D maximum deductible rises to $700 in 2027 (up from $615 in 2026). The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan, which lets you spread drug costs across the year in monthly amounts, remains available. The 2027 Part B standard premium and deductible, and the 2027 IRMAA income brackets, have not been announced yet; CMS typically publishes them later in the fall.

Plan-specific costs — premiums, copays, deductibles and drug tiers — are set by each plan and should be checked on the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov, by calling 1-800-MEDICARE, or in the plan's Evidence of Coverage.